Unlike Yesterday
by BrisbaneGirl
Summary: She had once been such a strong person, but everything has fallen and she goes to the one person who has always been there. Despite his shock at her reappearance in his life, he vows to protect her. With evil out to get them, will they survive. Diz/Goss
1. Chapter 1

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did everyday, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Everyday it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him. **

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Jeff Gossard heaved a sigh and pressed the button on the elevator. He was so tired and really just wanted to be left alone. All day he had people demanding things of him, his time, his company money or his answer to this and that. It was very rare that he wanted company at home. He didn't even understand why he had gone into business in the first place, yet that's where he was at this point in his life. New York had certainly changed since the war but he carefully reminded himself that all cities had. People were more cautious and fearful of strange noises and tended to move together in packs like animals. Gossard could not blame them however; the war had been terribly traumatic for everyone, especially for those involved like himself and his fellow Roughnecks.

As he stepped into the elevator his thoughts drifted to the Roughnecks. Although the got together quite frequently for birthdays and holidays and the like, Gossard truly missed their company as they were scattered across North America and seemed to spend inordinate amounts of time travelling elsewhere. Time together was precious and tended to be spent simply sitting and catching up rather than doing anything to exciting or scintillating. They were all so busy that arranging times outside designated holidays or birthdays could be quite challenging.

The Roughnecks had gone far since the end of the war just two years ago. Juan 'Johnny' Rico played for the Atlanta Falcons. He was quite popular and well liked amongst his team mates and fans as well as being an excellent player. Carl Jenkins worked in Washington for the Government but he was always a bit vague about what he actually did. Both Jean Razak and Francic Brutto were still with the military but Razak tended to travel quite often and was rarely home in Washington and Brutton had been stationed in San Diego for a few months now. Doc Lacroix was still in the medical profession but stationed in Chicago and didn't manage to get away much. Robert Higgins was a hot shot young journalist who despite having a home in Detroit, spent much of his time covering stories in Continental Europe. Gossard himself had risen the ranks in the corporate world although he was now finding it quite tedious to drag himself out of bed in the mornings to go to work, the others had jobs that changed everyday; he did not.

He stepped out of the lift on the top floor. He hadn't particularly liked the penthouse, he hadn't even wanted it. The company bought it for him anyway as well as a BMW convertible which he rarely drove. He wanted to be away from the public spotlight, hard when one was living on Park Avenue in New York City. He rarely left except to go to work and never ate out. People still stared and whispered which was something he just couldn't stand. He opened the door and stepped inside and smiled when he heard music. He usually hated coming home, he would much rather work than be here by himself. The music meant that she hadn't decided to return home and face the music (and the press). He smiled a bit more when he recognised the song, High School Musical was blaring out of the sound system in the living room. Dizzy had taken quite a liking to the movie, unusual choice for someone like her. He walked towards the sitting room and leant against the doorframe.

Dizzy Flores was staying in his Park Avenue apartment. She was sitting in an armchair, legs hanging haphazardly over the arm. Her nose buried in a book, also most unusual. She had always been beautiful, the Roughnecks would venture to call her stunning sometimes. Her hair was still brunette but slightly longer, tied behind her head in a ponytail. Although he couldn't see them, her eyes were still bright blue and but changed when he mood did. She was also quite thin, something his housekeeper had mentioned to him only yesterday, but he suspected the stress was doing a lot to her body as well as her mind. He glanced at the ring finger on her left hand and noted with some satisfaction that her diamond and emerald engagement ring no longer rested on her finger.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did everyday, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Everyday it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him. **

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Dizzy Flores was the one Roughneck that people had predicted many things of. Intelligent, fiery and beautiful, she seemed to radiate confidence and was the one Roughneck that Gossard could see being infinitely successful. They were all quite surprised when she suddenly withdrew, going to England immediately after the end of the war. They heard little of her, photos of her appeared in papers and tabloid magazines as did pictures and stories on the rest of them. She needed time to collect herself and return to civilian life, they all did. Dizzy had stayed so strong despite the disappearance of her brother and the deaths of her parents. The end of the war brought with it the chance to withdraw quietly and reflect on what had come to pass and grieve out of the public spotlight. Her return to America was heralded to be the beginning of what was pegged to be a great career in acting, modelling, whatever she wanted to do (well, what the public thought she should do). She settled in California as expected as well as purchasing a Ranch in Wyoming (a favourite Roughneck haunt.) She was immediately seen out and about with many men but was soon exclusively seeing LA Lakers star Simon Baker.

Gossard glared angrily at nothing in particular as he thought about Baker. None of the Roughnecks liked him, which was certain. He was unfriendly to them from the start and the longer she was with him, the more she stayed away from them. Rico and Carl were particularly hurt by this and despite repeated attempts to see her, she remained locked away from them in his palatial Hollywood home. The engagement announcement had lead to a screaming match between Dizzy, Rico and Carl at the latest Roughneck get together for Higgins Birthday. Despite repeated pleas to rethink her choices and leave him for good, Dizzy had hollered the house down before storming out. She hadn't spoken to Rico or Carl since but had been seen out and about with her new fiancée and his team mates and their partners. The one Roughneck she still spoke to quite frequently was Razak, who remained very close to her but even he couldn't convince her to leave.

He was most surprised to answer his phone just two days ago to hear a sobbing Dizzy on the end of the phone. He knew that the Lakers had come to New York and were playing at the Garden. It hadn't occurred to him to try and see her, he had simply assumed that she would remain in LA. She hadn't, he had hauled her to New York but forbade her from seeing or ringing him, he was later to discover. She had begged him to come and get her, crying and alone from Central Park. He hadn't hesitated to grab the car he rarely drove and venture out to find her. As he looked at her, he remembered how he had found her and why she was alone in the park at night

_Flashback_

_He had just settled himself in front of the TV, ready for whatever he could find on the many cable channels he had. He had over 200, just to avoid going out. As he flicked lazily through the channels and debated Law and Order over a James Bond film, the phone rang. He glanced casually at his watch, almost eleven at night meant that it was probably one of the Roughnecks but he really didn't want to hear again from either Rico or Carl about Dizzy and her fiancée and his evil plot to keep her locked in a Hollywood Mansion. He sighed heavily and leant over and answered the phone and decided on the James Bond film. _

"_Hello" He said into the receiver praying quietly to himself that it wasn't either before mentioned Roughneck. _

"_Goss, is that you? It's Dizzy"_

_This made him sit up and take notice. She rarely called especially since getting engaged to that creep in LA. Then he suddenly remembered that his team was playing in New York that week. She didn't sound happy, in fact, she sounded distressed and terrified._

"_Yeah, it's me. Are you alright? You sound upset." _

_As soon as he said it she burst into tears and choking on her sobs she said into the receiver._

"_I'm sorry to ring like this, I know you are busy but I'm scared and I didn't know who else to call."_

_He sat up straighter and thought hard. Dizzy rarely travelled with Baker, she usually remained in LA looking miserable splashed across tabloids. _

"_I'm not busy and even if I was, I would always have time for you. Are you here in New York?"_

_At this she began sobbing even harder and wailed into the phone. _

"_It's all wrong, they were right, they were all right."_

_That was when he knew something was definitely wrong. Dizzy rarely cried and he had a very good idea of the 'they' she was referring to. He immediately stood up and reached for his jacket, shoes and car keys. _

"_Where are you? I'm on my way to get you right now." _

_She heaved a deep breath and said quietly _

"_I'm in Central Park, I didn't know where else to go. It's the only place in New York I've been able to go apart from Madison Square Garden and the hotel."_

_Gossard nodded and quietly seethed to himself. She had been locked away, only going where Baker and the team had been going. Dizzy had been to see Razak the last time Baker had gone away and Gossard suspected that Baker was trying to limit who she could see and speak to._

"_Sit tight, I'm on my way"_

_By the time he arrived in Central Park it was raining quite fiercely and he could barely see anything in front of him. He swore under his breath and opened the car door as he reached for his cell phone. As he got out he bellowed her name and scrolled down to find her cell number in his phone book. He needn't have bothered because a pair of arms flew around his back and he could feel her sobbing her heart out. He turned around to look at her properly and was horrified. She was very underweight with huge bags under her eyes. She looked so exhausted that he marvelled at the fact that she had managed to stay awake or at least alert enough to ring him. She was wearing a sun dress despite the fact that it was freezing and that was when he noticed the bruises, cuts and scratches that littered her petite frame. She literally looked like she had served for a punching bag. She stood there looking at him as he studied her. He felt both pity and immense fury for allowing something so horrible to happen to her. He smiled gently at her and opened his arms. She threw herself into them, completely breaking down on his chest._

_End Flashback_

He had brought her back to the apartment but she had refused to admit anything the entire drive back. He leant her dry clothes and showed her where the bathroom was for a warm shower. Whilst she locked herself away and he searched the fridge for food, he desperately rang the Roughnecks. The first he managed to grab hold of was Rico.

_Flashback_

_Rico picked up just as Gossard was about to give up._

"_This had better be good Goss, it's after midnight and I have training in the morning." Rico had snarled into the phone. Gossard was a little taken aback but angrily growled back._

"_I've just rescued Dizzy from Central Park in the middle of a thunderstorm crying her eyes out and covered in bruises."_

_Rico fell totally silent before saying_

"_Has she told you anything?"_

_Gossard sighed heavily. He knew Dizzy hated appearing weak, especially in front of the other Roughnecks._

"_Not yet but I'm going to try and talk to her in a minute. Just do me a favour, let the others know as quietly and quickly as you can. I think it has something to do with him. She's coming, got to go." _

_He had swiftly hung up the phone and threw some leftover pizza into the microwave as Dizzy entered drying her hair with a towel dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of track pants. He looked at her for a moment before saying_

"_Do you want to talk about it?"_

_She regarded him for a moment before shaking her head. _

"_Not yet, but I'm not going back there, I can't"_

_End Flashback_

Gossard had seen to it that her clothes and other belongings were retrieved from the team hotel and brought to the apartment. He also enquired about how soon her belongings could be removed from the Hollywood home she had shared with Baker. She still had not told him what had happened but he now knew that Baker was at fault because she had removed her ring. He privately wondered how long it had been going on and chastised himself for not noticing sooner.

Suddenly, Dizzy looked up and saw him leaning in the doorframe. She smiled at him, the first real smile he had seen on her face in a very long time. He smiled back and pushed himself off the door frame as she rose from her seat. She hugged him tightly and smiled again.

"I know you were probably expecting dinner on the table but I have a better idea. I would love to eat out, just once, somewhere that I would love to go and eat what I want to eat."

He looked at her for a moment before smiling and nodding. As she went bounding out of the room to change, he sighed again. He still loved her, all these years later. To hear her say that broke his heart again. Seeing her in the park had just about killed him. The other Roughnecks teased him, saying it was still obvious. He just wanted her safe and he knew that here, she was safe with him. He groaned as the phone rang but lunged when he saw that it was Rico calling.

"Gossard, it's Rico. Baker is combing New York looking for her. He has been on the news accusing of kidnap, he has even gone as far as to suggest one of us is keeping her against her will. You had better keep her out of sight and out of harm."

As Rico was talking Gossard realised that he couldn't do that. He would warn her of course but he wouldn't do what Baker had been doing and keep her cooped up in the apartment.

"I'm taking her out for dinner. Baker kept her locked away, you should see her Rico. She is so thin, with these massive bags under her eyes. I'll warn her and keep watch but I'm not going to keep her here. I'm not going to let him get anywhere near her again".

With that he hung up and turned to find Dizzy behind him. Dressed in a pretty dress with matching heels, she looked so beautiful, like she had when she had first come back to the US, before she met Baker. She was looking at him with a worried expression.

"I've put you in danger haven't I? I should have gone back to California and then back to England. Goss, I'm sorry. You should be looking after yourself not me. He just won't give up till he finds me."

Her eyes had begun to water and she looked truly frightened. Gossard was furious and privately hoped that Baker did find them tonight so he could beat him to a pulp. He stepped forwards and hugged her before tipping her head up to look in her eyes.

"I'm not going to let him lay a single finger on you ever again. I want to look after you sweetheart, I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you again. Now what do you want for dinner?"

**Can Gossard protect Dizzy from Baker or will he be back with a vengeance for her? Will they both fall prey to him or can he save her once and for all? **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did everyday, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Everyday it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him. **

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New York was still bustling with people running everywhere but Gossard had decided that they would drive despite it being highly impractical. As he was thinking about somewhere to take her, they drove past Madison Square Garden. He saw Dizzy shudder violently out of the corner of his eye. He sighed quietly again. Something truly horrendous must have happened to her and he was determined to discover what it was. He also decided that they needed to go somewhere where Baker wouldn't suspect them of going. Considering he lived on Park Avenue, he retreated to the Queens for dinner, hoping that Baker and his team mates chose to look on the Upper East Side instead. He parked the car and got out before racing around and opening the passenger door. Dizzy seemed surprised but pleased none the less.

As they walked down the street together towards the restaurant, he noticed that she seemed very cautious. Always looking around her and staying quite close to him. A large group of men was walking towards them and he tried to see if he recognised any of the as Lakers. As they got closer he could almost feel the fear coming from Dizzy. Suddenly, her hand was in his and she was walking right by his side as the men passed. Some leered eerily at her but she took no notice, looking purposefully ahead. When they had gone past, she made no move to remove her hand from his and he gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She smiled up at him and they walked hand in hand down the street.

They soon reached the restaurant and he allowed her in first, holding the door open for her. It was a small place that served very good steak and was one of the few places he ventured out to eat at. He didn't think to ask for a table up the back, he was quite convinced that they wouldn't be found by Baker or any of the other Lakers. They sat down together and received their menus and he asked her what she would like to drink. She looked at him and just smiled.

"Whatever you get will be just fine I'm sure."

He had smiled back and ordered red wine for both of them. They made small talk while they waited for their drinks. Dizzy asking quietly about the other Roughnecks, mostly about Rico and Carl whom she hadn't spoken to in some time. He happily filled her in on the comings and goings of their squad mates. They ordered their main meals and continued talking. Although he was desperate to find out what had happened before she had fled to the park, he decided not to spoil what was becoming a wonderful evening. He had forgotten how much fun Dizzy could be. She was even cracking jokes, something which she had not done in a very long time.

Dizzy was happy. She felt very safe with Gossard, he was her protector. The one she had always felt she could go to with any problem and he wouldn't judge her for them. She had desperately wanted someone familiar but it had taken her sometime to remember that Goss was a NYC resident. After about thirty seconds of soul searching she had rung him and she was so grateful to him for taking her in. She had no doubt in believing what she had heard him say on the phone earlier. He had always been there for him before, time and time again and respected that she needed space to sort things out in her mind before attempting to get her to talk about her troubles. She loved him dearly for it and believed deep down that it had always been Goss she had loved. She had simply gotten too far into Baker's grasp. She was safe and happy with him now and that was all that mattered.

Their main meal arrived and they shared them with each other. The amount of food that came was like she hadn't seen in a very long time. She hadn't chosen to be quite this thin and she was desperately trying to get away from her weight problems but they were a culmination of stress and a restrictive diet forced on her by Baker. She ate happily, chatting with Goss about everything and anything. After they finished, she quietly excused herself from the table to go to the restroom. As soon as she had gone, a waiter approached the table. He spoke quietly and quickly to Gossard.

"I don't mean to alarm you or your dining companion but I know who you both are. The man appealing for her return has seen you, although we asked him to leave the premises, he may be waiting for you. He will not return to the restaurant but be careful when you leave."

Gossard regarded him carefully.

"you don't believe him, that she was kidnapped and held against her will by myself or one of the others he mentioned."

The waiter smiled at him and shook his head.

"My wife reads the tabloids, this is the happiest she has seemed in a very long time, as well as yourself. I believe that he is the one who has been doing horrible things to her, such a nasty temper he has, yelling at the staff but she seems to have found strength in you."

Gossard nodded as he listened, before smiling.

"Thank you for your kind words of support, another two glasses of wine and the dessert menu if you would."

When Dizzy returned to the table he did not mention what the waiter had said. They ordered dessert, the absolute chocolate platter which they shared and after which he decided that he would never eat chocolate again. Dizzy seemed to have no such problems, ordering hot chocolate from the same kind waiter. While he drank his latte, he pondered their new problem. Baker had found them. Dizzy must have recognised the men earlier but had decided against mentioning it to him. Although he was not angry, he was a little frustrated with her. How could he protect her if she didn't let him know who else was against her?

As he sent his credit card of with the bill, he leant forwards and grasped her hands, which were lying on the table.

"I know you recognised those men earlier. In the future, please tell me because the waiter has informed me that Baker came around asking for us earlier. He may have gone by now but I need you to stick close to me. I am going to give you the car keys, if I tell you to run back to the car, please do it. Promise me that you will and that once you get there, you lock the doors and don't unlock them for anyone."

The tears were coming again. Goss realised that Baker was still there in her life, controlling where she could go, even though she had left him. She took a fortifying breath and picked up her handbag.

"I promise"

He helped her into her coat and grasped her hand. She smiled up at him and walked closer as they left the restaurant. It was quite cold out, he wished he had remembered gloves, at least for her. She didn't seem to mind though. As they walked she withdrew her hand and just as he began to miss the feeling of her tiny hand clasped in his, she put his arm around her shoulder. He smiled inwardly. It just felt so right, as they walked together, she put her arm around his waist. To anyone, they could just be any couple wandering the streets together. At that very moment, Simon Baker chose to appear behind them and ruin their time.

"Well, well, well, what have we here. Seems you are turning into a Roughneck whore again darling. We can fix that though. You are coming back with me."

Dizzy froze and shuddered violently. Gossard however, did not. He swung around to face Baker while pushing Dizzy behind him.

"She isn't going anywhere with you. She is coming with me and you aren't coming near her again"

Baker just laughed, almost like a manic and Gossard thought he should indeed be sent to a mental institution.

"I'll have her and I will make anyone harbouring her suffer most intensely. Imagine what will happen to your sanity as you watch her being tortured and raped in front of you"

He whispered the last part which caused Gossard to lunge for him. Dizzy shrieked and hauled him back.

"No you mustn't fight him. Please Goss, its what he wants. Please no, I need you."

In the time it took for him to turn and look at her, Baker was gone. Swearing under his breath, he brought Dizzy back under his arm and whispered.

"I won't let him get you or hurt you again, I promise".

Dizzy slept the entire ride back to the apartment, leaving Gossard to think. Baker seemed serious and he knew that he wouldn't be able to bear watching Dizzy suffer. Thinking about what pain she must have been through already killed him. He would protect her. He had too.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did everyday, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Everyday it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him.**

Gossard gently woke her after parking the car in the garage. She looked so exhausted, he felt rather guilty for doing it. As they waited for the elevator he continued to glance at her out of the corner of his eye. She stared off into space, not really concentrating on anything. He didn't think she had heard the threats Baker had made, he really hoped she hadn't. He had no doubt that given the opportunity; Baker would act on those threats. As they stepped into the lift and he pressed the button for the penthouse, Gossard let his own thoughts drift. It seemed like so long ago that the Roughnecks had been a close nit group, not afraid of sharing their problems with each other and seeking solutions together. Now it seemed that they had drifted so far apart that they felt uncomfortable seeking any sort of help at all. He wondered what would of happened to Dizzy if she had stayed in California. Would she have stayed with Baker and married him and become even more miserable and withdrawn than she already was. Would her relationships with the remaining Roughnecks have become as strained as her relationships with Rico and Carl now were? He had never really considered a time when the squad might not have been as close as they always had been. Baker was succeeding in ripping them apart.

When they arrived upstairs Dizzy still had not said a word to him since pleading him not to beat Baker to death with his bare hands. She now sank onto the couch and looked at him for the first time, her eyes clouded with worry and another unreadable emotion in them.

"What did he say to you?"

She looked at him imploringly, fiddling with her hands in her lap, as if unsure of what to do with them. He looked at her startled. He didn't really want to tell her, he didn't want to frighten her but more to the point, it would make those threats real. Gossard could sense that he would have nightmares about what Baker would do to her.

"He's an asshole; do I need a reason to beat the crap out of him?"

He knew the instant that he asked that it was the wrong thing to say. She looked at him sadly but guardedly at the same time. She was silent for several moments, reading his face and thinking about her own answer.

"I know what he said to you and I know that it upset you but you mustn't let him get to you. If you go to jail for assault, then who is going to be here to protect me? "

He had no answer for that, he hadn't really thought about what would of happened to her. Baker had made him so angry that he just wanted to beat him to a pulp for hurting her and causing rifts in the squad that he feared may remain forever. She was staring at the black TV now, lost in her own thoughts again. Gossard decided that he would now ask her what he had done and why she had stayed with him. She may refuse to answer but he had to try.

He sat down next to her and she turned to look at him slowly. She seemed to read in his face what he intended to ask but she chose not to say anything, she simply watched him carefully. He really had not thought about how he was going to word his questions or anything, but he needed to know, even if she became upset or angry, he just had too.

"Why did you leave the hotel that night? What were you running away from? What did he do?"

He knew that it was probably too much to ask her at once, but he couldn't stop himself once he started. She simply looked at him for a moment before turning away and looking at the blank screen again. Gossard continued to stare at her, fearing that she wouldn't answer and that Rico would murder him for not finding out. She suddenly took a deep fortifying breath and began to speak.

"He wasn't always like it. When we were introduced at a party back in California he seemed so nice comfortable to be around. Like being with you guys, he liked to shower me with presents and nights out. He changed once I moved in with him. I used to have Rico and Carl and Higgins around all the time when they were in town. Suddenly, I wasn't allowed and he controlled who I rang and he rarely let me ring any of you anymore. He only let me go to our get togethers because he was worried you might all become suspicious if I suddenly stopped coming. Then he started to hit me, when I was late coming back from dinner on your birthday when we were all in San Diego, he belted me and locked me in the guest room, telling me I would never be allowed to see any of you again."

Gossard felt a stab of pity and fury in his stomach, this had been going on forever, his birthday in San Diego had been two years ago. She sighed heavily before continuing.

"The next morning he let me out and begged me to forgive him, I was so frightened that I agreed and he took me shopping and bought me all these expensive things, but I didn't want them. I wanted the man I thought I loved back. It only got worse, he started to hit me for everything I did, I was too frightened to sleep and he began restricting my food and forcing me to work out for six hours non stop in the gym at his home. Then, just before Higgins birthday in Chicago, he asked me to marry him. I was terrified of what he would do to me if I said no. Even after I said yes, he belted me so hard that I had bruises on my arm. Rico and Carl suspected and when Rico grabbed me in the restaurant it hurt so much that I pulled back. Then we fought…I haven't spoken to them since."

Gossard hadn't said a word the entire time she had spoken. He just looked at her feeling increasingly angry. Her life had become a prison, she was terrified of someone she should love and he continued to abuse her. She stared off at nothing before turning to look at him, her eyes glassy.

"Then, when he was playing in Washington, I begged Razak to visit, I was going to tell him everything, but when he arrived…I couldn't do it, I couldn't even admit to myself what he was doing to me let alone to the LT. I think he sensed it somehow, he told me that if I needed some time and space to think about being with him, then one of you would of happily taken me in…he was going away to Europe and he even offered for me to go with him. I couldn't…I was afraid of what he would do if he came home and he found me gone. He beat me so hard for having Razak to visit. I told him I hadn't said anything, I begged and pleaded but he didn't listen. He locked me in the basement for five days, without any food. I thought he was going to starve me to death. Then came this trip…he forced me to come, but he wouldn't let me do anything on my own. I tried to sneak out while was at practice and he caught me."

She took a shuddering breath and tears began to fall. He moved closer and wrapped an arm around her but she was determinedly avoiding his gaze, but she didn't move away from his embrace.

"He raped me, his won fiancée. I begged him to stop and pleaded and cried. He just wouldn't. He kept going and going. He tied me to the bed and….then he left me there and I knew I had to escape and so I grabbed my bag and my phone and I left. When I got to the park, I called you but I was so scared of what you would say. After how I acted the last time you saw me…I'm sorry for everything Goss…I never really loved him…I was in far to deep to get out."

With that she finally turned around to him and began crying into his chest. Gossard hugged her closer and sighed heavily. They had all been so wrapped up in their own busy lives that they couldn't see what was slowly happening to one of their own. The fractures that were ripping the squad apart were of their own making. They really had no one else to blame but themselves for driving Dizzy further away and into the controlling and manipulative arms of an abusive boyfriend.

It was in that moment that Gossard knew that he was dead in love with her and that he would save her from Baker and bring the Roughnecks back together again for good.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Chapter 5**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did everyday, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Everyday it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him. **

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Dizzy had tried to avoid the memory of Higgins birthday since the morning after. She still couldn't believe how she had treated Rico and Carl, her oldest friends. Although she knew it was her fault for behaving that way, she also blamed _him_. She was terrified of what the Roughnecks would say about Baker. She feared that they would blame her for what was happening in her own life, even if some situations were out of her control.

She sat in the window seat in Gossard's apartment and looked out at the view. She had known they wouldn't welcome the engagement, she had known that the Roughnecks and Baker hated each other but she believed (well…hoped anyway) that they would support her decision, but Rico and Carl had turned on her and she hadn't spoken to them since.

_Flashback_

_Dizzy was running late, again. The Roughnecks had seated themselves in the restaurant and Higgins was happily opening his presents while they waited. Gossard kept glancing at the door and he seemed rather unsettled, but they all ignored it. _

"_How's life in Europe Paperboy? Girls falling over themselves for you yet?" _

_Rico grinned and nudged him. Higgins smiled back and they all laughed as Higgins launched into details of his last trip, which had ended only the day before. Suddenly the door flew open and Dizzy came flying in. She looked windswept and rather agitated. She almost knocked the poor waiter out with her giant Prada handbag. _

"_I'm so sorry I'm late boys."_

_She raced around the table, collecting the back of Max's head with her handbag as she kissed them all hurriedly on the cheek. _

"_Traffic from the airport was a damn nightmare. Never again will I arrive on the day, always a day early and leaving the day after I've decided."_

_They all laughed and smiled and continued talking but Dizzy feared what would happen later, when she told them her news. She was seated between Doc and Razak who were having a conversation over the top of her head, she didn't mind though; she was just glad to have been able to return to them and be included, like it always had been. Rico was sitting opposite her between Carl and Higgins and Dizzy wasn't sure that she liked the look on his face. Rico was always a bit more intuitive than the other Roughnecks when it came to her and she knew that he would be the one that exploded when she told him. _

_The night had been going so well. Higgins loved his presents but was more thrilled by the fact that even after the war, the Roughnecks were always willing to make time for him. He was always invited regardless of where he was in the world. Although he made sure to be around for everyone's birthdays and whenever he was in California, he was always most welcome at the home of Dizzy and her boyfriend. He and Diz would curl up on the couch and watch movies and eat junk food all day and night. It was his favourite part of travelling because she was always so happy to see him. He looked at her as she leant around Razak to talk to Brutto. She seemed no different, thinner maybe but as she turned back to her dinner, he noticed that her smile was strained and that she wasn't really eating her food. She also looked rather tired, like a person who had very little sleep at all. She always avoided talking about her health and he dared not bring it up around the others. Perhaps she would stay late and they could talk, like always._

_As they ordered dessert and coffee, Dizzy laughed brightly at something Doc said and reached up with her hand to ruffle his hair. Suddenly Rico's hand shot across the table and grabbed onto her wrist. She looked at him so alarmed and tried to pull it away. Razak opened his mouth to say something as Carl grabbed Rico shoulder and said something in his ear. Rico forced her to turn her hand knuckles up and everyone fell into stunned silence. A pink diamond ring, set in what appeared to be silver gleamed up at them from her ring finger. _

"_What in the hell is that"_

_Rico's voice was dangerously quiet and Dizzy watched him wearily as she tried to wrench her hand free of his grasp. He only held her wrist tighter and Higgins later swore to Razak that he saw her flinch. _

"_Its…It…I…I'm getting married." _

_She managed to pull her hand free and cradled it to her chest as she watched him. Nobody said anything and it seemed that the whole establishment was now listening to their argument. Rico had been looking down at the table and he suddenly looked up at her, eyes blazing._

"_Marrying him are you? Were you ever going to tell us or were you going to let us find out through the tabloids? Or was he going to ring and gloat about how he managed to steal you from under our noses?"_

_Rico was shouting now and Dizzy seemed somewhere torn between fear, fury and horror at his words. Her eyes began to water but she furiously shook her head, as if shaking her tears away. She eyed him steadily before saying in a controlled voice,_

"_I was going to tell you all tomorrow. I knew you wouldn't like it and I didn't want to ruin Higgins birthday by shouting the place down with you."_

_Rico just glared viciously at her but she didn't back down, she simply glared back. Carl looked at her for a moment._

"_Why are you marrying him, surely you don't see yourself with him for the rest of your life." _

_The look on her face when Carl said those words was one of absolute hurt and betrayal, but it was swiftly replaced by one of determination._

"_I don't need to explain every decision I make in my life to you especially not to you or Rico. I knew that you wouldn't be happy with my decision but I thought that you would at least support me, but I guess things change."_

_She reached over the table and grasped Higgins hand. She smiled sadly at him and Higgins could see that behind the façade of strength and indifference, she was truly hurt._

"_I'm sorry that the evening has ended so badly. I hope the rest of your day was happy. I'll talk to you later"_

_With that said, she rose from the table, she gave Razak a kiss on the cheek, waved to the others, gave one last vicious glare at Rico and Carl and turned to leave. _

"_Come on Diz…"_

_Gossard began his sentence, intent on pleading with her to stay, they saw so little of her but he was beaten to it by Rico who had launched out of his seat and strode over to her retreating back and grabbed hold of her upper arm. Dizzy let out a hiss and flinched and Rico looked at her rather oddly, before replacing it with a cold smirk._

"_Let him practice his personal fouls on you huh?"_

_She whirled around to face him, she looked so angry but they could all see the tears. Carl had come to stand beside Rico and was watching her carefully, like one might watch a lion or bear. She shook her head and looked at them. _

"_I don't give a damn what you say anymore. You don't run my life and you certainly don't get to say whose in it. I do and it will always be my choice and right now, neither of you will be in it."_

_Her voice had risen to a scream before she turned and stormed from the restaurant into a waiting cab. As soon as she was in her hotel room, she burst into tears and threw herself down on the bed._

_The phone rang of the hook through the night, she always checked who it was. Razak, Brutto, Higgins, Razak, Gossard, Higgins, Max, Gossard, Doc, Gossard, Higgins, Rico, Rico, Rico, Carl, Carl, Max, Carl, Gossard, Razak. They just went on. She refused to answer any of their calls and left for California as soon as she woke._

_End flashback_

All in all it wasn't a period of her life that she was particularly proud of. She knew that Rico and Carl were right, even then she knew. They still had no cause to say any of that to her, but she had surrendered her anger a long time ago, she just didn't have the strength. She sighed heavily and rose from the seat. She had to speak to Rico and Carl soon, but she wouldn't be able to take the knowing looks and the judgement that they would hand out. Gossard hadn't judged her for her mistakes and she knew that none of the others would. She sighed again and headed towards the kitchen. Gossard was at work and she was home alone. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for Diet Coke, Homer Hudson and High School Musical. She just wanted to forget…


	6. Chapter 6

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did everyday, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Everyday it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him. **

--

Gossard was frowning. His morning was already rather depressing and was not destined to get any better. His poor assistant was desperately trying to set up a conference call with the other Roughnecks and had been trying for the last two hours. His coffee was now cold and his breakfast bagel untouched but he really didn't care. Dizzy had been asleep when he had left earlier in the morning. He had left her a note taped to the fridge but he doubted she would be up, or that she would ring anyway. She had gone to bed the previous night rather distressed but he knew better than to comfort her just yet.

He glared at the clock moodily. He had barely slept; some rather horrible nightmares had kept him awake. Always the same ones about Baker and what he would do to Dizzy if he managed to lay his hands on her. Gossard shuddered and reached for his cold coffee. Even in the light of day, the nightmares were no less horrifying. He resumed glaring at the wall and thinking about nothing when his secretary popped her head into the room.

"I've only managed to reach Rico, Jenkins and Higgins. I have not managed to get into contact with any of the others but I have left voice mail messages saying its rather urgent that they get back to you. Conference Line One for the others."

She then disappeared around the corner and Gossard sighed heavily and looked at the phone. He hadn't thought much about what he was going to say to any of the other Roughnecks. He felt rather selfish, like they wouldn't understand. He had been with her, she had told him what Baker had done. The others weren't within a hundred miles of them. He sighed again. He couldn't shut them out. They loved her too and he couldn't deny them the right to see her or speak to her. He would censor Rico and Carl if he had too, he wasn't going to have them upsetting her. He leant over and picked up the phone.

"Hey guys, its me. Thanks for taking the call."

The others responded with various greetings and then there was silence. Gossard silently counted down in his mind, to the inevitable explosion that would eventuate.

"What did he do? I swear, I'll tear him apart with my bare hands."

Rico sounded angrier than Gossard had ever heard him. He knew that Rico and Carl adored Dizzy, as did Higgins with whom she spent the most time of late.

"You won't do a damn thing"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and they just kept on coming.

"I've been here with her. I'm supporting her. She's fine. You were horrible remember?. Told her she was ruining her life and she can't bear to disappoint you and now she thinks that she has... I'll look after her, I don't need you coming here and upsetting her."

There was more silence on the other end of the phone.

"I didn't mean it, I never meant to say it…I just couldn't stand the thought of him finally having total control. She always managed to get away but once they were married... It would be like she wouldn't have any more chances to escape. I couldn't have borne that."

Rico sounded defeated and Gossard again felt guilty. He wasn't the only one who loved Dizzy, they all did. It was a little harder to put that love in perspective when they were all still working and jetsetting and not being there.

"Is she there?"

Carl's serene voice interrupted his train of thought. Carl and Higgins had been yet to say anything but Higgins hadn't hurt Dizzy, so Gossard had no beef with him.

"No, I'm at work. She's at the apartment. She was still asleep when I left."

"You left her there ALONE?"

Higgins interrupted before Rico could. Gossard was not really surprised. Diz and Higgins had become very close. They always talked on the phone and stayed at each others houses and met for lunch. Although he never judged her for her decisions, she feared disappointing him with them.

"There's a doorman and for heavens sake, she's in the penthouse. Nobody can just walk in and she isn't an idiot. Nothing is going to happen to her."

As he said it something stabbed inside him. Almost as if he didn't believe his own words. He felt an inexplicable urge to ring the apartment, or even to leave and go back. He forced the feeling away and returned to the conversation on the phone.

"We should be there."

"She doesn't need all of us there. She isn't some weakling and she certainly doesn't want Baker to see that."

"I think that Goss can handle it. She's a big girl and she loves him too…"

The only part of the argument Gossard caught was Higgins statement at the end. The other Roughnecks knew that Dizzy confided in Higgins. They never questioned it and simply chose to accept it, happy that she was confiding in someone. She wouldn't dare confide in Rico or Carl anymore. Gossard and Doc were out of the questions as well as the LT and two Bruttos. Higgins never judged her and never revealed any of what she told him to the others. Dizzy invested such faith and trust in that. He knew that Higgins confidence meant a lot to her.

"Fine, we won't come…but one hint of trouble and I'm there."

Rico didn't seem that thrilled with the decided arrangement but Carl gently pointed out that Dizzy may not take both of them turning up on the doorstep very well. He agreed, albeit reluctantly. As they said their goodbyes Gossard promised to keep them informed and also promised that he would ring Dizzy as soon as he hung up.

Once he hung up, he called his assistant in and informed her that he would be taking the rest of the day off. She simply smiled and nodded and went off to cancel his meetings. Gossard picked the phone back up and dialled Dizzy's cell number. There was no phone in the guest room and she may still be asleep. When she didn't answer he simply hung and dialled his home phone. He waited while it began ringing and debated where he would take her for lunch, or maybe dinner…it was getting late in the afternoon. He began to drum his fingers on the desk. It shouldn't be ringing so much, if Dizzy was in the bathroom, surely the housekeeper would answer it. The same feeling he had before had returned to the pit of his stomach but he desperately tried to ignore it.

Suddenly the phone clicked up as someone answered and he was about to berate the person on the other end for taking so long when there was a familiar laugh on the other end. The laugh he had prayed he would never hear again, let alone within ten thousand miles of Diz…

"Told you I would get her…what are you going to do now…"


	7. Chapter 7

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

**Summary: Jeff Gossard came home like he did every day, nothing in his life changed very often or very much. Every day it was the same, up in the elevator into his Park Avenue apartment after a hard day at the office and eating alone as usual but today was different. She was staying with him. **

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The credits for High School Musical were rolling and Dizzy groaned and stretched. She enjoyed the fact that she was once again free to laze around and spend an entire day doing practically nothing. Gossard had been gone when she had woken up and his housekeeper, Lucy, had mentioned that he had left a note and that she would be gone for most of the morning running errands. She had very kindly asked if Dizzy had wanted to come but Dizzy declined. She didn't want to be in the public eye anymore. She had seen the cost on her own life already and nothing was worth that.

She ejected the DVD and prepared to place High School Musical 2 into the player. She missed it. She had once done this with her boys. Lay around eating ice cream straight out of the carton and having movie marathons. She missed being able to just pick up the phone and have a conversation with one of them, seeing them whenever they were in town. Going out for birthdays and laughing at how much things had changed. It was certainly no laughing matter now. She placed the new DVD into the player and moved into the kitchen. She pulled out another bottle of Diet Coke as well as some more ice cream and some chocolate. She glanced at the bench where she had placed the note Goss had left her this morning. She picked it up and read it again, revelling in how much he cared for her.

_**Hey Diz,  
I didn't want to wake you because you looked so peaceful and we had a bit of a rough night last night. I had to leave early to go into work this morning but I'm going to do all I can to get back early and we could go out for lunch or dinner or we could just stay in and order take out. If you need anything just call and I'll be there right away.  
Goss**_

She placed it carefully back on the bench and picked up her new supply of junk food. She had debated calling some of the other Roughnecks after she woke up. In the cold light of day, it didn't seem like such a good idea to cut them out anymore. Then she decided to be just a little bit selfish. She found that despite the horrific things that had happened in the last few days, she rather liked being with Gossard in their own little world. He had been so angry when she had told him what Baker had done. While Gossard didn't have the temper Rico was known for, it had still scared her until she had reminded herself that the fury radiating off him was not aimed at her and that Gossard had never meant her any harm in the past. She feared what would happen if he got his hands on Baker, or Baker managed to get his hands on Goss. She didn't want him to get hurt, she wouldn't be able to bear it if he was injured fighting to save her, when she couldn't even fight to save herself.  
'No Dizzy.' She thought fiercely. "Do not go there; you don't want to remember that.' It was too late however, the memory she had been fighting so hard to suppress was returning.

_Flashback  
This was it. Her last chance to escape. She couldn't do it anymore. As much as she had resented the insinuations that Carl and Rico had made that night, they were right. She didn't see herself with Baker for the rest of her life and the fact of the matter was that she didn't love him. By the time she had come to that conclusion it was already too late. She was in too far to get out and she couldn't put the Roughnecks in danger like that. He wouldn't stop trying to find her if she left and she was going to make damn sure that he didn't suspect that she was with one of them, she loved them too much. She took a deep breath and stepped out of their room. She could do this. She had wanted to do this for months and had yet to find the courage. Today she would do it. She would walk out on Simon Baker and not look back._

_She walked silently through the halls. The Laker boys were at practice and their partners had gone shopping. They had asked her if she wanted to come along but she declined. She had no desire to be seen in public. She hadn't wanted to since the big fight with the Roughnecks. She stepped into the elevator and took another deep breath. He wouldn't be here; she was going to get away. She had to believe that before she totally lost her nerve. The lift arrived in the lobby and she took another deep breath before stepping out. She smiled at the staff behind the desk who smiled politely back. She could do this. Just a few more steps until she was out the door...._

"_Bell, honey, where are you going?"  
Oh God. It was him. He wasn't supposed to be back yet. Dizzy took a deep, shuddering breath before she turned to face him. He was still in his uniform and he didn't look like he had showered. The bastard must have raced back to the hotel, suspecting her plan. She had been so careful to be discrete about it and he had guessed anyway. He was looking at her expectantly, to the outside world he looked like any concerned partner but Dizzy could see the fury building behind his false smile. She smiled at him as brightly as she could muster.  
"The girls went out shopping a little while ago but I wasn't feeling well. I told them that I might meet them later once I felt a bit better. I left you a note to say where I was going."  
His smile hardened but remained on his face. Dizzy knew that this was the end. He was most likely going to kill her for this, most certainly not here but once they got back to LA she had no doubt what she was in for.  
"Sure darling. Let me get changed and we can go together."  
He smiled again and held out his hand. She looked and it and knew that this was the end of her plan. Another deep breath before she smiled and took it and he gave it a furious squeeze. He then shifted his grip onto her forearm as they walked and practically marched her into the lift. She prayed that someone would get in with them and prayed that someone would save her, but no one did. As soon as the doors shut, he threw her across the lift. She slammed into the wall and slid to the floor.  
"Did you really think I was going to let you walk out of here? Just pick up and leave me? You ungrateful slut, how dare you! Going to go to him are you, beg him to save you? He doesn't love you. None of them do and they most certainly won't save you from me."_

_The lift came to a stop and he hauled her to her feet and pulled her along the corridor. Tears were rolling silently down her cheeks. She had always known that she wouldn't get away. This trip had been her last Hail Mary, and it had failed. He forced her into the room and slammed the door. He banged his fist against it before turning to face her. She backed away from him but he followed, stalking her across the room. She had seen him angry before but nothing like this. His transformation into a monster appeared to be complete.  
"Where would you have gone? Who would want you now? You turned them away when they last tried to help you. A lost cause you are. Pathetic and weak."  
He backhanded her across the cheek and she hit the wall. He pulled her to him and bit down hard on her neck. Dizzy tried desperately to get away. He slapped her again and she whimpered. He smiled as he forced her back toward the bed.  
"Now I will show you that you belong to me and that you can never leave me."_

_She had what she supposed others would call an out of body experience. She totally disconnected from reality. As he hurt her, she imagined what life could have been like. Away from him, safe with the Roughnecks, with Goss. It wasn't until he had alluded to Goss that Dizzy remembered that he lived in New York. She should have remembered. She could have been with him at this very moment, instead of tied up, at the mercy of the monster that was supposed to protect her.  
After what seemed like a lifetime, he got up and smiled down at her as he unbound her wrists. She simply lay there, too exhausted and frightened to move. He pressed a kiss to her forehead after he had dressed and put on a jacket. It took all she had not to flinch.  
"You know your place now. I'm going out, I expect you to be cleaned up by the time I get back."_

_He turned and left. As soon as the door was shut, Dizzy leaned over and groaned. She had to do this now. She was still strong and she could still do this. She forced herself to her feet and over to her suitcase. She pulled out the first item of clothing she could find and dressed quickly. She also dug around until she found the small hidden pocket. She pulled out the item she had hidden there long ago and forgotten. The cell phone Razak had given her, seeing as hers was tied to Bakers account. He had programmed every single number that belonged to the Roughnecks and Dizzy knew now that she had to use it. She forced it into her handbag and prayed that Razak had given this number to the others. She quickly cleaned herself up and then fled the room. There was no hesitation this time because she was now certain of what he was capable of. She fled through the lobby, not looking at anyone and quickly moved down the street. She had not seen anyone yet that she feared and she raced across the street and into Central Park. She could lose him, or anyone else, here. _

_She collapsed onto a bench and pulled out the cell. Could she do it? Would he forgive her? She looked up at the sky and decided it didn't matter. Even if he refused to help, he would undoubtedly tell the others that she had left him and maybe in time, they would forgive her. She took a deep breath and looked down at the phone, scrolled through the contacts and dialled..._

_End Flashback_

The end was history. Goss had saved her and here she was. Safe in his home and she knew that she would never fear Goss. As she picked up the remote, she heard a sound from the front door.  
"Hi Lucy, did you need some help?"  
There was no answer and Dizzy half rose from her seat. Lucy would have answered her. Therefore it was probably Goss.  
"Goss, you should have called me. You gave me a fright."  
Still no answer. Dizzy approached the door leading out towards the front door. She was mentally scolding herself for being so jumpy. Suddenly there was a voice.  
"Run Miss Dizzy, Run. Go into the bedroom, he is here."  
There was a sickening thump and Dizzy raced into the hall. Baker stood above a now unconscious Lucy. He had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a smug grin on his face. Dizzy backed away from him. In the background, she could hear her cell ringing. Baker followed her into the living room. She backed into the wall and he gave her a sinister smile that chilled her to the bone.  
"He is such a fool. Thinking you would be safe. Now you will both pay for what you have done and I intend to make you both suffer."  
He seized her around the throat and smashed her head back into the wall as the house phone began ringing. He did it again and smirked as he reached over to pick up the phone. Dizzy shuddered violently as he laughed like a maniac into the receiver.  
"Told you I would get her…what are you going to do now…?"

He hung up the phone and leant close to her ear.  
"Let's have some fun while we wait for lover boy...."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Unlike Yesterday**_

_**Chapter Eight**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with the Roughnecks, if I did I would be finishing the series… **_

_AN: One of my lovely friends who is sadly not on FF but betas this story for me has suggested that I up the rating to M. She thinks it would be kind of sad to have all this build up of what Baker might do and not actually get a "feel" for it. I think I may actually agree with her but I am still undecided. So if you can't find this story next time, just reset the filter on the search and you'll find it. But don't worry, I will give plenty of warning when something very unpleasant is going to happen so you don't have to read it if you don't want to. Also please note that I have rewritten the summary as I think this better reflects what happens to our protagonists in the story. I may also go back and correct the spelling/grammar/continuity issues in the earlier chapters when I didn't have a beta if I can find the time to do it. This chapter also jumps between Dizzy and Goss (who are in separate locations) until they are reunited. Now that I have said my piece, on with the story below. _

**Plot Outline: She had once been such a strong person. It seemed nothing on earth or outer space frightened her. Suddenly everything has fallen and she goes to the one person who was always there. Despite his shock at her reappearance in his life, he vows to protect her no matter what. With evil out to get them, what will the cost of that protection be? (Diz/Goss) (AU)**

* * *

The handset fell from his hands and onto the desk. His mind seemed to shut down for a full minute as he began to imagine the consequences. How had Baker managed to find his apartment and how had he managed to get in. He had only just promised Rico, not five minutes ago, that it was impossible for Baker to set foot inside the apartment, if he could find it. He shook his head fiercely. He needed to get a grip. The longer he took here, the more time Baker had to hurt her at the apartment and the worse off she would be when he arrived. He seized his wallet, phone and keys from his desk and pushed back with such a force that he knocked several stacks of files flying. He stormed out into the hall. His secretary looked alarmed and almost like she wanted to stop him.  
"Just leave it all, I'll fix it later. There is something I have to do."  
She must have assumed that it had something to do with the conference call he had just had with the Roughnecks because she relaxed and nodded before her eyes returned to the computer screen in front of her. He mentally congratulated himself for bringing his car in as he walked briskly to the elevators. It was not something that he usually did but he had wanted to get home to Dizzy as soon as possible and his car was the fastest option he had available, so he had driven into work. As the doors of the elevator closed and he began the decent to the underground car park, he began to consider his options. Physically he and Baker were almost evenly matched. Baker undoubtedly had the advantage of regular training sessions but Goss had plenty of experience on his side. He also had the perfect motivation, his anger toward Baker could give him the edge he needed but he knew that he had to keep himself controlled. Any advantage he had would be lost if he couldn't keep that anger in check. The elevator doors sprung open and he leapt out bolted towards his car. He unlocked it and threw everything onto the front passenger seat. Jamming the keys into the ignition and throwing the car into reverse; he flew out of the parking space and out of the garage. As he turned the car in the direction of his apartment; he looked to the heavens and prayed he wasn't too late. He would never be able to live with himself if he was.

* * *

Dizzy wondered where she was, everything was black. Her eyes fluttered open. Everything hurt; it felt like she had been hit by a freight train. Lying down she realised something. It wasn't the guest bed that she was occupying. There were only two bedrooms in the apartment and therefore it was Gossard's bed she was lying in. Suddenly her body stiffened as her memories returned. Baker, here, in the apartment. She attempted to sit up and found she couldn't. Looking to the wrought iron headboard, she realised that she was tied to it by her wrists. She sucked in a sharp breath. She couldn't remember anything after Baker slamming her head into the wall in the living room. There was a noise outside the room and she twisted around until she could see the door.  
"Ah, you're finally awake sweetheart. I was wondering if you were ever going to wake. I need you conscious and coherent for later."  
Baker stepped into the room. He looked at her, tethered to the bed. He was pulling a chair behind him, which he appeared to have been modifying while she had been dead to the world. Dizzy looked at the chair and saw that Baker had attached ropes to the arms and legs; it was one of the chairs from the foyer downstairs. Baker saw where she was looking and smiled at her.  
"I plan to drive him insane. He will have the prime seat for the show we are going to give him. His hero complex will force him to try and save you, but these chains will prevent anything of the sort."

He shook the ropes at her and laughed as she shuddered before he began positioning the chair to his liking. Dizzy watched him with a horrified expression. He had been serious, that night when she and Goss had seen him after dinner. He was going to torture and rape her and force Goss to watch. She couldn't let that happen, she wouldn't survive it but she had a feeling that Baker intended to ensure that neither of them lived to tell the tale and knowing what he had planned for them; she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted too.  
"He won't fall for this. You won't trap him."  
She desperately tried to sound more confident than she felt. She knew that Goss was probably already on his way here and maybe if she distracted Baker, he could sneak in undetected. Baker turned to look at her, distracted from his task.  
"Of course he will. He's in love with you. He always has been, just like you have always been in love with him. Don't think I haven't noticed. He'd die for you and that, my dear, is exactly what he is going to do."  
Dizzy shook her head fiercely and glared at him. Baker just smirked at her and went back to his task.  
"You won't get away with this, even if you kill both of us. Someone will find out and the Roughnecks will know it was you. They'll make sure you'll pay."  
Baker dropped the ropes he had been rearranging and approached the bed. Dizzy tried to scramble away from him but had to stifle a cry as the ropes cut into her wrists. He reached out and pressed down on her cheek and she flinched. There must have been a bruise there; she didn't want to imagine what he might have done to her while she was unconscious. He lent close to her ear, she shuddered as she felt his breath of her skin.  
"You cannot imagine what I have planned for you and your smart mouth. I will break you to within an inch of your life. Perhaps I will send you off with your boyfriend but I will most likely keep you, you belong to me. I shall simply tell my adoring public that he had you imprisoned here. I killed him to save you, my one true love. They believe anything I tell them. Why should this be any different? I have all the evidence I need and your testimony and your obvious injuries will be the most compelling of all."

Dizzy shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She was going to pay for what she said next but she knew that she had to do it. Unless Goss was a hell of a lot smarter than she was, neither of them would survive. Baker had sat back and she heard him rummaging around beside the bed for something. She was too terrified to imagine what it might be, but she wasn't going down without a fight.  
"I will never lie to anyone for you again. I made that mistake before and it drove me away from the people that did love me. You're right. It was always Goss that I loved over you and I'm not afraid of you anymore."  
Her head snapped sideways as his fist connected with the side of her face. She felt her head being forced back upwards, his hand under her chin and opened her eyes to see Baker's furious face. He had a rag in his hand and was straddling her, preventing her from moving her legs. He leant down into her face and placed one hand over her throat, reducing the amount of air going into her lungs and causing her to gasp for air.  
"You are testing my patience, my little whore. You are making it very hard for me not to silence you now once and for all. What your beloved is going to see now, is going to be so much worse and as for you. . . . I intend to force you into hell on earth."  
He sat back and forced the rag into her face, pressing on her throat with the other hand; forcing her to seek more oxygen. She felt herself begin to grow drowsy and realised that it was chloroform that he had put on the rag. She desperately tried to stay awake and saw through the haze that he had removed the rag and was rooting around in the duffel bag, pulling out another long length of rope. As she lost her battle with the drug, her last thought was of Goss and a desperate prayer that he wouldn't come for her, that he would be sensible and stay away. . .

* * *

Goss tore into the underground car park of his apartment building. Simultaneously amazed and thankful that he didn't receive a speeding ticket for he was well above the legal speed limit and the traffic wasn't as bad as it usually was but he had still wasted a good hour getting home. Baker would have to have been in the apartment for longer than that and he was horrified at himself for taking so long. He hurried to the elevator and was again thankful to find that it was already on the car park level. He punched the penthouse button and waited impatiently for the lift to rise. He thought that his latest plan was the best that he had come up with on the drive. He just had to get in and get out. Find Dizzy and get her out, render Baker incapable of following them if required; before alerting the police. He couldn't risk fighting Baker in the apartment over Dizzy. There was a chance he could lose and that was not a chance he was even remotely willing to take. He had the advantage of knowing the apartment back to front and he hoped that it would be enough.

The lift arrived and he stepped out and quietly crept toward the door. He already had his key out but decided to try the handle just in case. He twisted it and found it unlocked. Goss took and deep breath and stepped quietly over the threshold and into the place that had once been home. He saw that the sideboard in the hallway had been overturned and as he looked around the corner into the living room; he saw the definite signs of a struggle. The TV was smashed, the couch overturned and as he looked at the wall, his stomach dropped. Blood was smeared on it, trailing down toward the floor. It looked as if someone's legs had given out from underneath them as they slid down the wall and he prayed that whatever injury Baker had given Dizzy; it wasn't too serious. He continued on his path down the hallway, he saw that all the doors were closed except for the one leading to his room, at the end of the corridor, which was slightly ajar. After another quick look in the living room and kitchen, Goss decided to start in his room and work his way back through the others. Stepping around the debris of the sideboard, careful not to step on anything that would make noise; he snuck towards his bedroom. He reached the door and took another deep breath before pushing it open the rest of the way.

What he saw when he opened the door took his breath away. Tied eagle spread to his bed, unconscious, was Dizzy. He completely forgot that Baker was somewhere in the apartment, as he raced forwards and fell to his knees beside her. He could see bruises on her face and along her arms. He was thankful to find her still dressed but knew that it didn't mean anything. Baker could already have raped her but he prayed it wasn't so. He reached up to untie her wrists and tried to wake her up.  
"Dizzy, you have to wake up. I have to get you out of here. Come on baby, please, please wake up."  
He managed to get one wrist undone and brought it down, noticing the rope burn from where it had cut into her wrist. She had been struggling against the bonds, it hadn't done her any good but she had been able to resist. As he was examining her wrist, her hand moved. His eyes flicked up to her face.  
"Come on Diz, wake up. I need to get you out of here. Please."  
Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned, before letting her eyes fall shut again.  
"Goss. No. Can't be here. . . Go. . . quick."  
Her eyes shot open again she struggled to sit up before knocking him over with her flailing hand.  
"You can't be here. He's outside on the balcony. GO! Quickly, before he comes back. He wants to kill you. He's going to kill you."  
Dizzy whispered fiercely as she looked fearfully at the balcony. Goss decided to use her brief distraction to take in her injuries, catching her hand to force it to stop moving so he could see her properly and become enraged when he saw the damage to her body. Bruises, cuts and gashes littered her frame. He pulled her chin to look at him.  
"I'm not going without you and I'm going to kill him for what he's done to you. He isn't going to get away with it anymore."  
She tore her eyes away from him and screamed.  
"Goss. BEHIND YOU!"  
He swung around but felt something collide with the side of his head. He hit the ground and he groaned as he rolled over. Baker's face was swimming in his vision and he saw he had a knife to Dizzy's loose wrist.  
"So kind of you to join us. You have no idea what I'm going to do to her. . . just for you."  
The last thing he saw as his eyes slipped closed was Baker dragging the knife across her skin and as he slid into darkness; all he could hear was her screams.


End file.
